Starting over

#47 Forest of Death

Naruto POV

Anko smiled as she saw us arrive in front of the fence that separated the large forest from the rest of Konoha. "Why didn't you tell us?", Gaara asked the kunoichi while we waited for the others to arrive. "That would have ruined the surprise.", she complained with a grin. Then the other teams began arriving.

After all teams had arrived Anko straightened her back and looked over us. "Now, welcome to your second exam. In the midst of this forest is a tower. Your mission is to reach that tower, while also fighting the other teams. You will have to get two scrolls, one you will receive in the tent next to me, the complementary scroll you will have to get from the other teams. You have five days until you are automatically disqualified. You are also disqualified if you fail to either get both scrolls, get to the tower in time or if one of your teammates get killed. Now go in the tent, there you will receive your scroll and a gate number. Good luck and don't die.", she explained, ignoring the question from Choji what they should eat and the various shocked faces as she mentioned that some may die.

We got our scroll and our gate number as we went into the tent. Going to our gate Temari took the scroll and sealed it into her belt. "What is the plan?", Gaara asked as we waited at our gate for the start signal. "I would say we search for teams until we have the other scroll and then we head straight for the tower.", I said thinking that we could rest in the spare time that we might have. Temari and Gaara nodded while checking their gear making sure that they were ready.

Then there was an explosion over the forest and the gate swung open. As we went into the forest I made some shadow clones that went ahead scouting the area for any teams that might come into their range. We intentionally left our chakra signatures unsuppressed so that any senor could find us. We went towards the tower but in a moderate pace.

After around an hour I felt one of my clones dispelling which meant that he had found a team. I notified Temari and Gaara and we changed our course slightly to intercept the team from Iwagakure and sped ahead.

Once we had found the team we trailed them for a bit thinking about a good strategy to get the scroll without having to kill them since we didn't want to end their lifes before they had hit their prime.

The team consisted of two girls and one boy, all around the age of twelve. Gaara looked at me and nodded before dropping down on front of the trio. Temari also dropped down next to Gaara, while I waited in the trees. "Give us your scroll and you don't have to die.", Gaara threatened with a calm voice. The Iwa shinobi looked at each other before one of the girls spoke up. "Why should we, you already lost one of your teammates which means you have no chance of advancing in the exams, you should give us your scroll since you don't need it anymore. I chuckled hanging upside down from one of the branches. "Who said that they have lost me?", I said grinning. The three genin whirled around with wide eyes. I unsheathed my katana while Temari opened her battle fan and Gaara let some sand flow around him. "Now, once again, give us your scroll or you die.", I said still grinning. The two kunoichi looked at their teammate with fear in their eyes, begging him to give away their scroll. He reached into his kunai pouch that he carried on his belt and took out a small scroll. He looked at his teammates before tossing it to Gaara. Temari and Gaara looked closely at the scroll to identify of it was the scroll that we needed. Temari smiled at me and nodded, showing that it was the right scroll. That was when the Iwa boy put his hands in a hand sign and the scroll suddenly exploded. The trio turned around to face me, when they felt cold steel press against their throats. "Now hand over the real scroll. If I see something like that again your heads will be on the floor.", I threatened. The three took a glance back and saw a clone of me standing behind them, each with their sword in hand. The boy in the middle looked back up at me. I still hung upside down on the branch, I hadn't moved at all. "But you can't pass anymore, I mean look at it, your teammates were just obliterated. You have no chance of passing the exams. Why don't you just let us be and quit?", the girl on the right said grinning smugly. I smiled at the girl and let myself fall to the ground, flipping so that I landed on my feet. "Who said that we died?", came Gaara's voice out of the forest. The Iwa ninja looked around with fear in their faces. Then Gaara and Temari came out of the forest behind me walking up next to me with Temari standing on my right and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. Gaara stood on my left letting his sand slowly creep up to the enemy shinobi.

"Alright we'll give you our scroll just let us live.", the girl on the left pleaded, reaching into her pouch. When she pulled her hand out, the clone behind her simply cut her head off. Her teammates cried out in shock seeing her head roll down from her body. The 'scroll' that was in her hands changed into an explosive tag. "Well, I warned you.", I said before the boy lost his head. "Wait don't kill me, here I give you the scroll.", the last girl said, throwing the scroll to Gaara. Gaara looked at it and smiled at the girl. "You should have thought about that before you crossed us.", he stated just before the last head hit the floor. My clones dispelled and Gaara gave the scroll to Temari. "Let's get to the tower.", he ordered taking off into the trees.

When we reached the tower we were lead into an empty room. On it's wall was a riddle which read:

He who enter this room be prepared to throw away what grants you access to the next stage.

After a few minutes we concluded that we had to throw the scrolls into the room. We did so and as soon as the two scrolls hit the ground, there was a small explosion and a lot of smoke. As the smoke cleared Anko smiled at us. "Congratulations you passed this stage of the exams. You can wait here in the tower until this stage is over. There are guest rooms in the second and third floor as well as a training room and the cafeteria. Again, congratulations, I look forward to seeing you in the next stage of the exams.", the purple haired kunoichi said before vanishing again.